On Sunday, June 22, 2014 at 3:00 p.m., over one thousand participants are expected at the “Take Steps” event that will benefit the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation Northeast Ohio Chapter. The event will be held at the Independence Field House and the proceeds will be used for education, research and support for the over twenty thousand Northeast Ohio residents who suffer from these diseases.

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (known collectively as Inflammatory Bowel Disease or IBD affects one in two hundred people. There are over 150,000 patients under the age of eighteen which is the fastest growing group and are the ones who are the most severely impacted by the diseases.

It is the fundraising programs like “Take Steps” that are the driving forces responsible for the needed funding so critical to IBD research as well as increasing awareness of the disease. For three years the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America has earned a four out of four rating from the nation’s largest independent evaluator of charities, Charity Navigator. What this rating means is that the CCFA holds true to its mission and is fiscally responsible while outperforming other charities in America. Currently, the goal of “Take Steps Cleveland” is to raise money for vitalgenetic and microbiome research that will develop individualized treatment approaches for patients.

This spring and summer season, over 80 walks are scheduled nationwide for “Take Steps” with this being the seventh annual event hosted in Northeast Ohio. It is expected to raise over $159,000 of which 82% will go for research, educational programs and support for those who suffer from the disease.

“Take Steps Cleveland” receives support from National Platinum Sponsor AbbVie as well as national sponsors Janssen, Takeda and Shire. Along with these national sponsors, local organizations such as Gold Chapter Partner, University Hospitals Digestive Health Institute; Cleveland Clinic Digestive Disease Institute; North Shore Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, Salix Pharmaceutical, and FirstMerit Bank have stepped in as local sponsors.

At 3:00 p.m., official registration for the “Take Steps Cleveland” walk will take place that will be followed by the walk program at 3:45 p.m. that will feature remarks by by Joe Prada; CCFA Board President and Laure Alkire; the 9 year old Local Hero.

“We anticipate that in the next three to five years, we will have isolated microbial targets and develop strategies that will form the basis for new therapeutic interventions,” said R.Balfour Sartor, M.D., CCFA Chief Medical Advisor and Midget Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Microbiology & Immunology, and Director of the UNC Multidisciplinary IBD Center.

The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) is the largest voluntary non-profit health organization dedicated to finding cures for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD). CCFA’s mission is to cure Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and to improve the quality of life of children and adults who suffer from these diseases. The Foundation works to fulfill its mission by funding research, providing educational resources for patients and their families, medical professionals, and the public, and furnishing supportive services for those afflicted with IBD.

Share this article

With over 30 years as a Scout Leader and 1000 plus miles of backpacking and canoeing Mark Horning brings tried and true methods of "Comfortable Backpacking" to the readers. Through his experiences you will be guided on what gear to buy, where to find it and how to use it properly as well as hints on saving time, money (and most important) weight. You may comment on his articles by contacting him at misterh777@sbcglobal.net.